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Loviatar
| power4e = Intermediate deity | alignment4e = Evil | symbol4e = | dominion4e = Banehold | realm4e = | serves4e = | servedby4e = | sphere4e = Pain | domains4e = Torment, Vengeance | worshipers4e = | cleric alignments4e = | channel divinity4e = | holy days4e = | class4e = | refs4e = | power3e = Lesser deity | alignment3e = Lawful evil | symbol3e = Nine-tailed barbed scourge | homeplane3e = | realm3e = | serves3e = | servedby3e = | portfolio3e = Hurt Agony Torment Suffering Torture | domains3e = Evil, Law, Lust, Retribution, Strength, Suffering, Pain, Wrath | worshipers3e = Beguilers, torturers, evil warriors, and the depraved | cleric alignments3e = | favored weapon3e = Painbringer (scourge) | holy days3e = | class3e = | refs3e = | power2e = Lesser deity | alignment2e = Lawful evil | symbol2e = Black nine-tailed whip, the ends barbed and bloody Chalk-white slim female left hand with fingertips downward and three drops of blood dripping from each | homeplane2e = Gehenna/Mungoth | realm2e = Ondtland | serves2e = Bhaal | servedby2e = | portfolio2e = Pain, hurt, agony, suffering, torment, torture | spheres2e = | worshipers2e = | cleric alignments2e = | holy days2e = | class2e = | refs2e = | power1e = | alignment1e = | symbol1e = | homeplane1e = | realm1e = | serves1e = | servedby1e = | portfolio1e = | worshipers1e = | cleric alignments1e = | holy days1e = | class1e = | refs1e = | animals = | plants = | monsters = | minerals = | colors = | misc manifestations = | manifestation refs = }} Loviatar ( ), also known as The Maiden of Pain and The Willing Whip, was the evil goddess of agony and was both queen and servant to the greater god Bane. Personality Loviatar was a cold-hearted bully, calculating and despotic; she was the master of inflicting physical and psychological suffering and her portfolio included pain, hurt, and torture. Relationships Once a follower of Bhaal, Loviatar was affiliated with Malar and Talona and had fallen under the sway of Shar, though the return of Bane changed this, as she once again served as his consort. Loviatar's portfolio conflicted most with that of Ilmater, because Loviatar despised those who helped others. She also hated Eldath and Lliira for offering rewards without any suffering to achieve them. Symbol Her symbol was a nine-stranded whip, with barbed strands. Worshipers Bringing pain and suffering was the aim of all Loviatans, either through physical torture or sometimes more subtly and psychologically. Beauty, intelligence, and acting were useful attributes of a Loviatan, but the ability to fully understand someone was the best skill a Loviatan could acquire, as knowing someone fully could help a Loviatan inflict maximum pain, one way or another. Loviatar's followers were encouraged to wipe Ilmater's followers from the face of the Realms. Loviatans often engaged in self-flagellation, often in the morning when praying for spells. They celebrated each season with the Rite of Pain and Purity, a ritual that involved followers dancing on glass, thorns, or barbed-wire while being whipped by higher-level Loviatans. A smaller ritual occurring every twelve days involved followers passing their bodies through the flames of candles. During warfare, priestesses of Loviatar scourged their naked shoulders or tore their cheeks with their nails to evoke magic. Titles used by Novices are Kneeling Ones Confirmed Priests use the titles (in ascending order) * Taystren * Adept (in Pain) * Sister/Brother (in Torment) * Supremar * Caressor (of Terrors) * Whiplass/Whiplar * Paingiver * Whipmistress/Whip Master * High Whipmistress/Whipmaster * Branded(of the God) * Truescar The last two titles are awarded to those who have been head of a temple or who have personally distinguished themselves. In the old text priests were referred to as Lovites before the use of Loviatan replaced it. Specialty priests, called pains, operate as a separate arm of the faith. They travel from place to place carrying out the goddess's will as envoys, agents, or inquisitors rather than being permanently stationed at a temple. Ordinary clerics of Loviatar hold the pains in high regard. A temple mainly consists of clerics, but one to three pains can be called upon if needed. Mystics often are assigned to groups of pains and monk, while living only with monks and monasteries. They usually swear fealty to the temple that their abbey is a part of in the hierarchy. The faith of Loviatar was the state religion in the country of Dambrath. Under Queen Cathtyr the priesthood of Loviatar grew to the thousands . The Crinti priestesses there had their own secret religious language, known as the "Maiden's Tongue". The Crinti considered copying the idea of the trade enclave from the Red Wizards of Thay combining a trade center and a place for the faithful to Loviatar to worship. Orders The Loviatan religion has no knightly orders. * Disciples of the White Rod: These monks of the faith of Loviatar were named in honor of the token granted to their founder by Loviatar and held in the home abbey near Calimport as a relic. Mystics follow a philosophy called Way of Transcendence. Appendix Background Loviatar is named for Loviatar, a Finnish goddess of death and pestilence of the same name, originally appearing in the 1 -edition ''Deities & Demigods''. Further Reading * References Connections Category:Evil domain deities Category:Law domain deities Category:Retribution domain deities Category:Strength domain deities Category:Suffering domain deities Category:Faerûnian pantheon Category:Finnish pantheon Category:Human deities Category:Intermediate deities Category:Lesser deities Category:Lawful evil deities Category:Pain domain deities Category:Vengeance domain deities Category:Torment domain deities Category:Death domain deities Category:Lust domain deities Category:Wrath domain deities Category:Inhabitants of Banehold Category:Inhabitants of Mungoth Category:Inhabitants of Gehenna Category:Inhabitants of the Outer Planes Category:Inhabitants of the Great Wheel planes Category:Inhabitants of the Fiendish Planes Category:Inhabitants of the World Tree planes